The 17-year-old returned to the Ipswich starting line-up after two months out injured to pull the Cardiff defence all over the place.

On another day he might have had four goals.

No wonder the home fans gave him a standing ovation when he was taken off towards the end by back-slapping boss Roy Keane.

An own goal from Adam Matthews and a stunning strike by Wickham’s new front partner, Jason Scotland, took Ipswich to second in the Championship table.

But it was the display of the fit-again superkid that everyone was talking about.

Hardly a surprise that the top clubs in the land have all tried to sign him, and why Ipswich are determined to hang on until an offer comes in that it would be lunacy to refuse.

Wickham, the scoring ace in the England Under-17’s winning of the Euro title in June, stands 6-2 and weights 14 stone.

Scotland, who joined from Wigan for £800,000 late last month, said: “When I was first told he was just 17, I couldn’t believe it, I really couldn’t.

“In training, no one here wants to play against him. They all want him on their side, myself included. He puts himself about that much.

“But he’s not all about strength. Connor has got greats skills all round. He is one for the future of English football and will go to a big, big club one day.”

Wickham burst through on his own in the first half, but was fouled from behind by Gabor Gyepes just as he looked set to score. It was a blatant penalty not given by referee Fred Graham.

Then, just before the interval, the teenage terror found space superbly to go just off target.

Three minutes after the re-start, only a brilliant block by Gyepes stopped Wickham opening the scoring and, not long after that, the brilliance of Cardiff keeper David Marshall denied the shooting Suffolk star.

He latched onto a massive ball upfield from Gareth McAuley to leave both Gyepes and his centre-half partner Mark Hudson for dead.

A goal looked a certainty, but somehow Marshall managed to spread himself and send the ball over the bar.

The deadlock was broken in Ipswich’s favour with an extraordinary own goal on the hour mark.

Carlos Edwards crossed from the right and substitute Cardiff defender Adam Matthews headed in a peach of an opener that would have done young Wickham proud.

In the 74th minute, Scotland got his second goal since his arrival at Portman Road. Tom Eastman floated a deep ball in and the experienced striker latched onto it sweetly before racing forward to rocket home.

“We did the basics right,” said Keane who had lavish praise for Wickham. “He showed a good work-rate and presence. Top people have a presence. Connor’s got a bit of everything.”

Cardiff chief Dave Jones lamented: “Too many people made too many mistakes. Ipswich earned their luck and we go away with our pride damaged.”

He described the bizarre own goal by Matthews as “a moment of madness.” But quickly added: “He will learn from it.”

Jones continued: “The game had 0-0 written all over it until the own goal. You cannot give away silly goals like that. Overall, it just wasn’t our day. We could have put the ball in the box a hundred times, and a hundred times it would have come out.”